1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to Mycoplasma pneumoniae exotoxins, peptides thereof and antibodies thereto, and their use in diagnostic and therapeutic methods.
2. Background Art
Mycoplasma pneumoniae is one of the most well recognized pathogens of the human respiratory tract. The importance of Mycoplasma pneumoniae as a cause of human respiratory disease has been well documented by epidemiological studies in various settings and in many countries. M. pneumoniae is the etiologic agent of primary atypical pneumonia and is also responsible for many respiratory tract infections, such as tracheobronchitis, bronchiolitis, pharyngitis and croup, especially in older children and young adults and in elderly populations. It accounts for 20-30% of all pneumonias and also is linked to asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Furthermore, M. pneumoniae can disseminate to other organ sites and cause gastrointestinal, hematologic, neurologic, dermatologic, musculoskeletal and cardiovascular pathologies. This secondary involvement by M. pneumoniae leads to a spectrum of complicated extrapulmonary sequelae, including arthritis, pericarditis and central nervous system disorders, which attests to the significance of M. pneumoniae in human disease. Although antibiotic therapy appears to be relatively effective in controlling mycoplasma pneumonia, the bacteria continue to persist.
At present, no known virulence determinants of M. pneumoniae have been functionally identified and linked to the wide range of pathologies associated with M. pneumoniae mediated diseases. Furthermore, there are no specific and standardized diagnostic tests available for reliable and rapid detection of M. pneumoniae infection, or effective vaccines to control M. pneumoniae infection.
The present invention overcomes previous shortcomings in the art by providing a Mycoplasma pneumoniae polypeptide and biologically active fragments thereof, known as community acquired respiratory distress syndrome (CARDS) toxin, as well as nucleic acids encoding this polypeptide and its fragments and antibodies specific thereto. These compositions are used, for example, in methods of diagnosing, treating and preventing infection by M. pneumoniae. 